Phoenix From the Ashes
by Bottou-chan
Summary: Joker's alive and promises to lead Neon and Raiha to Kurei... or is it all just a cruel joke? Will Raiha believe him and choose Kurei over Fuuko once more? Will Fuuko follow him, or give someone else a chance? And how will Domon react?
1. Phoenix From the Ashes Ch 1

**Phoneix From the Ashes**

**Chapter 1**

**by Bottou-chan**

* * *

Author's Note:

#1: This story is a sequel to "The Onsen Encounter" () so if you haven't read that, you might want to do so first, as several bits within this story refer to happenings in that story. 

#2: This story deals with stuff after the end of v. 33. If you don't know what happened to Joker, Kurei, and Koganei by the end of the manga, and don't wish to be spoiled, it's best to go read something else. ^_^ 

#3: All the spoiler-free people gone? Good. 

#4: This story started developing after v. 29 came out... needless to say, I was extremely disappointed with the way Joker was disposed of. Even though he was just a minor character, there was so much care and planning put into his introduction and subsequent appearances, that it seemed to be a clumsy way of disposing of him. If he died from a gaping stomach wound and/or blood loss and/or a raging infection, I can take it. But sacrificing himself to dispose of someone who, for all intents and purposes, had already been "killed" by Kurei? The only reason to resurrect Kadotsu after his death was to make Joker exit stage left. It couldn't have been something as simple as preventing the Joker/Koganei rematch from ever happening... it had to be something else. I waited in vain for him to come back, but he was gone with the wind... My issues weren't limited to the plot, either. (a) The black hole's depiction was totally not like a black hole; (b) A black hole couldn't be created in the manner described; and (c) Joker isn't so self-sacrificing as to launch a suicide attack in the first place. ^_^ So... this fic is to give the remnants of the Uruha a somewhat happier ending! 

#5: Oh, yeah... and Fuuko angsts over her lovelife. I heard there was a lack of Fuuko romances... ;oP 

Enjoy! 

* * *

The trees outside the school windows were slowly dissolving into their fall colors, and the air had a distinct autumnal nip to it--- but inside Nashikiri High School, no one had any eyes for the changing of the seasons, as everyone's focus was on the practice examinations for the upcoming University entrance exams. At least, Yanagi was a good student and wished to score well, and Fuuko was always willing to be competitive. Domon wasn't too concerned, as he was expecting to stay at home and help with the family floral business for a few years; and Recca wasn't quite sure what his path in life was. Perhaps he would also inherit the Hanabishi family business--- Shigeo was well-known locally for his fireworks, and while not extravagantly profitable, it was established enough to plausibly earn a living with. Though Recca had been creating fireworks himself since childhood, his grasp of textbook chemistry was severely lacking, and he was in a dilemma. 

"I mean, any idiot knows about magnesium burning in the presence of oxygen, or adding copper for a green color--- but those equations! Diagramming those reactions! I swear, they make it so difficult and boring. Maybe I should just skip college totally." 

Yanagi smiled brightly, looking up from her newspaper to listen to his complaint. "But I think it would be really positive if you were to go to school and learn the book part, too. I'm sure you'd be able to use that knowledge to create beautiful things that you couldn't have otherwise." 

"What Yanagi means is, 'You won't blow yourself up so quickly through dumb random experimentation'," translated Fuuko with a wicked smile. 

"I think Recca should stay at home, if that's what he wants," offered Domon earnestly.

"See, Domon knows there's no shame in not wanting to go to college right off," said Recca, beaming at the unexpected support from his friend. 

"Absolutely," agreed Domon, nodding sagely. "I mean, it's important to know what you can and can't do. Like, you could beat Mikagami in a fair fight, flame versus sword--- but there's no way you can touch him if the weapon happens to be a standardized test." 

Recca's expression darkened. "He has nothing to do with this!" Mikagami had graduated and had received a scholarship to a prestigious university overseas. "It's not like you're going anywhere, anyways." 

Domon shrugged. "Someone has to help Mom, but I'll probably go after a bit, just to learn about how to take care of the business properly." 

Fuuko grinned. "Listen to us! We sound so old and serious," she said lightly, and the others laughed in agreement, but the smile faded from her face as she stared unseeingly through the window. 

The happenings at the Urabutousatsujin III seemed a lifetime ago. Even the more recent Tendoujigoku events seemed like a hazy dream. The dull routine of reality had dominated their lives. There had been some excitement of another sort during their spring shugaku-ryoko (had it only been a few months ago?), where they had unexpectedly run into the remnants of Kurei's Jyushinshuu during a detour at a hot spring resort. There had been no fuss, no fight, nothing at all like that… yet just seeing _him_ had opened her emotional wounds and rubbed them raw. 

They had only been able to speak twice. The first time had been cut short by Mikagami's abrupt arrival. The other had been a cryptic dance of evasion and equivocation. The only thing he had been blunt about had been telling her to live her life and hold her head proudly. There was a promise of a future meeting… the prospect of a chance future encounter. That hope of being able to lay to rest all her uncertainties and figure out their new relation to each other, after the disappearance of Kurei, the destruction of the madougu, the cessation of reason for enmity--- that hope had driven her for the days and weeks after their meeting. Yet Raiha had made no effort to contact her, and as the weeks melted into months, doubt began to take over. Perhaps he had meant none of what she thought he had meant, with his careful words as only his way of letting her down gently. 

She clenched her fists, her nails biting little half-moons into her palms. Well, if he was going to be like that, she didn't need him. She was capable and dependable, and didn't need someone who wasn't. Her gaze drifted slowly to Domon. He had always been there for her… a true friend. He had saved her life on more than one occasion. Even when she had abused him terribly, he had stuck by her side, whether she wanted it or not. Though he would never have her natural intelligence, and she would never have his oni strength, they shared a kindred spirit. 

His perseverance was beginning to pay off. 

Yanagi had returned to her newspaper, and Fuuko's thoughts were interrupted by her startled, "Oh!" as she read something that surprised her. 

"Look at this," said Yanagi, turning the paper around so that Recca, Domon, and Fuuko could view it. "This article--- and the photograph." 

The headline read: "**CHARITIES RECEIVE RECORD-HIGH DONATIONS FROM KOKOM CORPORATION**." 

The article explained that Mori Tsukino, the wife of the late billionaire philanthropist Mori Kouran, had dissolved the Kokom Corporation upon her husband's death, and had spent the last several months working on setting up grants, donations, and endowments for a wide variety of charitable organizations. Though Mori Kouran had had a major fortune during his lifetime, it was only a fraction of what had been invested in his various businesses interests, in land and real estate, and other interests. Mori Tsukino had no desire to keep the fortune; there was nothing to keep her in the world. The newspaper reported that both her husband and her adopted son had been lost at the same time, and she had no other children who would inherit her holdings. So she wished to dispose of them personally during her lifetime, to ensure that they created the greatest good in a way she saw fit. She herself would be retiring to a Buddhist abbey, where she would spend the rest of her life in contemplation and meditation. 

"She seems… genuine," said Fuuko. "Hard to imagine someone like that actually married to Mori Kouran!" 

"Hard to imagine someone that nice actually staying with Mori Kouran," grinned Domon. 

"Hard to imagine someone like that actually surviving Mori Kouran," said Recca darkly. 

"But look at the picture," insisted Yanagi, poking it her with finger. 

"She looks nice. Kind of old, but motherly." 

"Who are those blurry people in the background?" 

"Um. I think that one's a woman. Hey! It's that cutie, Neon!" 

Fuuko's breath caught. "On the other side of Mori Tsukino--- it's Raiha." 

Recca looked skeptical. "Do you think Raiha and Neon pressured her into going through with this?" 

"But that doesn't make sense," objected Fuuko. "They would be better off controlling Mori Tsukino as a puppet, and reaping the benefits themselves. Why would they want to totally dissolve the Kokom Corporation? It's like they're----" 

Her knees suddenly felt weak, and she was glad she was sitting perched on a desk. Mori Tsukino had been protected and was being put in a nice, safe place where she would be happy and not have to worry about the tedium of running a corporation. Neon and Raiha, the two most likely candidates to care for Kurei's mother in his absence, were distancing themselves from both the fortune and their ward at the same time. Mori Tsukino was not the only one severing ties… Neon and Raiha were removing the last threads that had kept them in Japan. 

Where would they go next? Without Kurei, without the Uruha, without the madougu, there was nothing to keep them here. They would find adventure elsewhere. Where, exactly, Fuuko had no idea. But Japan was now too tame, too normal, too boring for them to stay longer than they had to. There were too many interesting places out there beckoning, places where strong people with intelligence, savvy, and confidence could have an adventure. 

She hadn't seen him in months, but now it felt as though he was truly going to disappear. 

Fuuko felt sick to her stomach. 


	2. Phoenix From the Ashes Ch 2

**Phoneix From the Ashes**

**Chapter 2**

**by Bottou-chan**

* * *

Though she had never been _his_ mother, Raiha had respected and cared for Mori Tsukino deeply. She had held Kurei's love and respect; surely, the remnants of the faithful Jyushinshuu would not abandon her. With Mori Kouran gone, there were a number of rapacious wolves who would have loved to take over power within the Kokom Corporation. Neon and Raiha had efficiently cleaned house of all the greatest threats. To other less-dangerous individuals, well-chosen words helped express, in no uncertain terms, that certain actions would not be tolerated. Likewise, Mori Kouran's absence left a powerful vacuum in the Japanese underworld. Raiha and Neon coolly conveyed the message that Mori Tsukino had no interest in involving herself in such affairs, and that the different gangs and factions could fight amongst themselves over the remnants of Mori Kouran's considerable slice of pie. The idea of retiring had been Mori Tsukino's idea. She had enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Moon Palace for much of her married life, even though it had been house arrest of the most perilous sort. It would be difficult for her to return to society after so many years of virtual solitude; it would be a burden for her to manage her late husband's affairs, and she had no attachment to the wealth he had accumulated. So Neon and Raiha had set things in motion to dispose of the estate. What, exactly, they would do with themselves when Mori Tsukino had no more need of protection, and the Kokom Corporation was dissolved, they were not sure. 

They only knew they would find something. 

"Something" appeared unexpectedly on their doorstep one night. The three of them were living temporarily on the hot springs property, and were not expecting any guests or visitors. 

It did not take Uruha training to be suspicious of an uninvited guest in the middle of night miles from the closest neighbor. 

Raiha silently unsheathed his katana, and motioned for Mori Tsukino to make herself safe in another room. Neon cautiously approached the door in silence. 

"Oi, oi! I know you're home! It's very inhospitable to just leave a visitor outside like this!" came a plaintive voice from the other side. 

Neon opened the door a tiny crack. 

"Joker?" she asked in disbelief. 

"You should've left a forwarding address," grumbled Joker. "You know how difficult it was? I must've spent a whole day trying to track you down. What are you doing out in nowhere-land?" 

"I thought you were dead," said Raiha, his voice matter-of-fact, but his eyes wide. He was not normally one to admit to being surprised, but this was certainly unexpected. 

"Pff. I don't know what you mean," said Joker, shrugging out of his jacket and tossing it over a chair back. He grinned at Mori Tsukino, who was hovering cautiously in the background, and added, "Nice to see you, Mom," in the most cheerful of greetings. He and the Three Nincompoops had been in charge of her protection detail for a certain length of time during the Tendoujigoku matter. 

"Well, this is certainly like your timing," said Neon, covering up her own shock with gruffness. "You leave us all the dirty work and come waltzing in when it's over." 

"Is it over?" Joker seemed genuinely concerned. "Don't tell me I missed the fun part." 

"It's just business from here on out. Negotiations may take another six to eight months, but we're cashing in everything. All the housecleaning got wrapped up weeks ago, if you know what I mean," she answered. 

"Hrmph. Paperwork," he answered scornfully. "Everyone knows you save the best part for last. You two are so backwards." 

"We didn't have your sage advice to counsel us," answered Raiha, smiling. "So, seriously, tell us--- how did you escape?" 

"Escape?" From the deep shadows beneath his ballcap, Joker gazed languidly at the three expectant faces. "Don't tell me you were anything like, say, _worried._" 

"Hmph. You're a big kid. You can take care of yourself," sniffed Neon. "But—" she added, almost hesitantly, "—an extra set of hands to help wouldn't have hurt." 

"We had heard that you hadn't made it past Kadotsu, that you had both gone down together," said Raiha. "Something about a black hole. How did you escape?" 

Joker smirked. "A good magician never tells," he said. 

"Now, isn't that a cheap way out." 

He shrugged. "A magician never tells, but a smart person can figure it out anyways. I mean, come on. Think back to science class. Since when does gravity plus gravity equal a black hole? You can multiply gravity, and all you get is really strong gravity. A black hole, on the other hand, comes from gravity plus matter. Sorry to disappoint you like that." 

"Oh, never mind," said Neon. "It's been so long since I was in school, I've forgotten all that stuff." 

"I'll tell you guys about it later," said Joker. "Anyhow, let's just say that Kadotsu wasn't so tough once we arrived, and he didn't last too long. I had a great time and did a lot of interesting stuff." 

"And you didn't send us a postcard?" asked Raiha playfully. 

"I can just see it--- a postcard with a black hole on it. 'Wish you were here! Having a great time!'" said Neon, snickering. 

He gave an exaggerated sigh. "How many times do I have to tell you--- it wasn't a stupid black hole? Besides, I didn't see a mailbox anywhere. Anyhow, I sort of kicked around and did my own thing for a bit. And then I ran into Kurei—" 

"Now, that's just going too far," snapped Neon. "If you're going to just tell us a pack of lies, we've got better things to do." 

"Who says I'm kidding? I mean it," said Joker. 

"Sorry to burst your bubble, pal, but Kurei went back in time while you were gone," said Raiha gently. "And he didn't come back. He used up the last of his Hokage power." 

"Yeah, yeah. He told me all about it. Vengeance and stuff. I told him exactly what I thought about it, playing with space and time and all that. What a headache, I tell you… not something you want to mess with often. Too many variables. But he didn't seem to care. He did what he wanted to do, which is pretty much par for both of us." Joker shrugged. "Anyhow, just for updates, Koganei's doing well, too. Fweeeee! Have you seen that kid? He hit his growth spurt. I swear I wouldn't have recognized him if I passed him on the street." 

Neon and Raiha both looked extremely serious.

"How did you know Koganei went with him?" he asked, his voice tense. 

"Oi, I told you. I ran into them. We had a nice little chitchat. Tea and petit fours and all that. Yum." 

"You're serious." Neon leaned forward intensely. 

"Yeah." 

"You're really serious." 

"Yeah." 

"Really, truly serious?" 

"Well, no. We didn't _actually_ have tea and petit fours. But we talked." 

She drew a long, careful breath. "And?" 

"And what?" 

"And what did he say?" 

"He said, 'Joker, you handsome rogue—'" 

A cushion narrowly missed his head, and he tried again. 

"Well, he talked about his revenge. A lot. It's a common theme with him, y'know? I'm sure you've noticed. Anyhow, I managed to steer the conversation to the present. What he was doing, what he'd been doing, what he planned to do. He gave me the impression that he wouldn't mind getting the gang together for a little fun. We compared leads and stuff, and he said he'd be busy for a while and couldn't come back, but to make sure that Mom was safe and well-cared for, and then maybe we could all get together and do our thing." 

"Get together?" said Neon, perking up. 

"Yeah. I'm guessing Miki and Aki are around somewhere---" he craned his neck as though expecting the girls to spontaneously appear at the mention of their names. 

"They're taking care of things in Tokyo," said Raiha. "We're taking care of things over on this side and using the onsen as our base for the time being. It's nice and remote, if you understand… some people prefer not to be seen coming and going." 

"At least you're doing it with style. Oi, Neon, wanna join me in the kon'yoku when you're done?" 

"You wish," she sniffed. She changed the topic by bringing him up to date on Mori Tsukino's plans to retire to a life of contemplation. "So, like we said, it'll still be six to eight months before we've wrapped everything completely up… how will we know when Kurei is ready for us to join him?" 

Joker grinned. "I'll let you know." 

It had only been a matter of days between their lost comrade's sudden reappearance and the arrival of the Hokage on field trip. Several months had passed since then, and Joker was now standing in front of Raiha and Neon, waving the newspaper in front of them. 

"Hey, Raiha, your picture's in the paper." He scrutinized it again, and added sulkily, "Darn photographer cut me out. I think that's my elbow." 

"You can clip it out and send it to your mother. A picture of your elbow," said Neon sulkily. "Mori Tsukino leaves for the abbey next week. When will Kurei be ready for us?" 

Joker shrugged. "He hasn't said." 

Neon raised an eyebrow. "You've been talking to him?" 

"Pffft. No. I just said, he hasn't said anything. That means he hasn't been talking to me." 

"You know, Joker, voices in your head aren't always such a good sign," said Raiha gently. 

"It's okay. We've been using tin cans and string. I'll tell you when he's ready, and I mean it." 

Raiha didn't feel like pursuing the joke any further. Instead, he lost himself in his own thoughts. He was looking forward to the beginning of a new adventure, but he knew there was still one loose thread left over from the last. 

And he couldn't leave Japan until he resolved it.


	3. Phoenix From the Ashes Ch 3

**Phoneix From the Ashes**

**Chapter 3**

**by Bottou-chan**

recca.lamssu.net

* * *

"Don't forget your umbrella, Fuu-ko," Mrs. Kirisawa called to her daughter from the kitchen. 

"Don't worry, Mom!" she yelled back. Inwardly, she thought, _Small chance of that._ It was pouring rain outside. Fuuko wriggled into her raincoat and picked up her blue-and-white striped umbrella. "I'm going!" 

"Is Domon walking with you to school today? Usually he comes inside," said Mrs. Kirisawa, appearing in a doorway, wiping her hands with a dishtowel. 

"He called last night. His mom needs some emergency help at the shop today, so he'll be skipping the morning classes." In a flurry of raincoat, Fuuko hurried from the house. The sooner she got to school, the less time she would have to spend walking through the rain. 

She kept her eyes on the pavement, watching the raindrops viciously splatter against the cement. The gutters were full of swirling, muddy water and she took great care when passing too close to speeding cars whose tires carelessly kicked up great plumes of water. 

_Too bad I don't have Ensui,_ she thought, imagining the silver-haired swordsman absorbing the splashes into the blade of the sword. 

The random thought saddened her momentarily. She remembered the fun and excitement of possessing the Fuujin. Even though there was no further use for Hokage madougu, their destruction seemed senseless. What she wouldn't give to have the warm, familiar weight on her arm once more! 

Fuuko approached the gates of the school and looked around for a familiar face. All around, students were hurrying through the downpour, trying to keep heads and backpacks dry at the same time with their umbrellas. There was one person who stood out, however… one of the teachers was standing patiently by the gate, watching the hurrying students. 

As she drew closer, she realized that the figure was not that of a familiar teacher, but rather, a familiar enemy. 

Her throat tightened. 

Raiha. 

* * * 

"So, you're okay with skipping school?" asked Raiha, as they sat inside a tea shop. Fuuko nursed a hot chocolate, steaming hot, between her cold hands to warm them. 

"It's no big deal," said Fuuko. "Unless they have a pop quiz, but my grades won't suffer too much if I miss one." 

Raiha smiled. "Maybe you shouldn't be here after all. Five minutes, and I've already led you down the path of wrong. I'd hate to contribute to your delinquency." 

Fuuko thought about retorting that she could handle her own delinquency just fine without his help, but somehow, that didn't sound right. So she concentrated on her hot chocolate, studiously ignoring his jokes. 

His face fell just a tiny bit. "If you don't want to be here, that's fine. It was probably a mistake to try to talk, anyways." He dug into a pocket, put a handful of assorted change on the table, and rose to leave. 

Fuuko reached out automatically for his hand. 

"Don't go," she said earnestly, and then realizing she was touching him, she hastily drew her own hand back. "I mean," she said, not looking at him, "I, um, wanted to see you. I still wasn't sure about last time. You know?" 

Raiha gazed at her for a few moments, then sat down again. 

"Okay. So… let's try this again. How's school going, anyways?" 

"They're helping us prepare for college entrance exams. It's pretty intensive. But not as hard as the high school entrance exams, so I'm feeling confident." 

"How nice. Did you figure out a place you want to go yet?" 

"I think it would be fun to go overseas," said Fuuko. _Yeah. Let him know you're not afraid of adventure,_ she told herself. _That you like doing different things, taking risks, taking chances._ Another voice pointed out that he already knew that, but Fuuko primly reminded herself that it never hurt to drive an important point home. "I don't know if my family can afford it, but I think it would be exciting." 

"Anything you want to study?" 

"I'm currently looking. To be honest, physical education stuff might be good. Like coaching a girl's team or something. I think the competition would make that kind of job interesting, and I think that a school would be a cool place to work. Always full of kids with dreams and goals and drive and stuff." She blew gently over the hot chocolate to cool it, and took a ginger sip. Still too hot. "How about you? Did you go to college? I can just see you majoring in business school, throwing your books out the window one day, and running off to join the Uruha." She giggled. _Yeah. Let him know you can talk about the Uruha and stuff and not let it affect you. That it's in the past._

He grinned. "No… my family didn't put so much stock in higher education. We were of a more, ah, traditional mindset, so to say. I had developed certain, ah, skills early on in life that proved valuable to me over time. Maybe that's why I can't get a job flipping burgers. There are just some things you can't put on the resume." 

Fuuko beamed back at him, but her mind was churning. _So his family's a bunch of ninja, too? I should have guessed…_

"But we talked about that before," said Raiha. "During our fight." 

"Yeah," said Fuuko. "I guess we did." Some parts of it were burned into her soul… other parts were decidedly hazier. "So… what are your plans now?" 

Raiha gazed steadily at her. "I think it would be best for both of us if I was to disappear." 

The energy seemed to drain from her body once more. "Disappear?" she asked, almost not trusting herself to speak. "But… you can be normal now. You don't have to worry about fulfilling your obligation to Kurei. He's gone, remember?" 

"There's a good chance I can go meet him. I'm planning on doing that." 

She stared at him in shock. "But--- that's impossible! The madougu are destroyed, you can't do Time Manipulation, he said he wouldn't be able to come back…" 

"We both know he's very resourceful. If he wants something, he'll find a way to make it happen. He didn't survive for so long by not taking action." 

"But—I thought that the whole reason you came back was to see about how much of it was the Fuujin and Raijin… and how much of it was us," said Fuuko miserably. 

"I thought I would," he said coolly. "But instead, it just sort of turned into goodbye." 

"Goodbye?" It was barely a whisper. 

"It's been fun, Fuuko." With one easy movement, he rose from the table, leaned over to kiss her on the top of her head, and slipped easily from the coffee shop. 

Darn ninja stealth. 

She was reeling from the shock of "goodbye". She was reeling from the kiss… somehow, it seemed wrong for it to be so casual and nonchalant. And she was reeling from his choice of parting words. 

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU MEAN, IT'S BEEN FUN?!" she shrieked at the door which had closed behind him. The other patrons of the tea shop craned their necks around to look at her, but the door remained closed. No meek purple-haired ninja came hurrying through to soothe her frazzled emotions. Flushed-faced, she threw herself back into her seat and tossed back the contents of her hot chocolate. It scalded her tongue and throat, but she was beyond caring. 

_What do you mean, 'It's been fun'? _she repeated numbly to herself. _If you'd just stuck around, it could have been so much more fun…_


	4. Phoenix From the Ashes Ch 4

**Phoneix From the Ashes**

**Chapter 4**

**by Bottou-chan**

recca.lamssu.net

* * *

Dinner that night, at the Uruha apartment, seemed as normal as any other night. 

"So, what did you do today, kids?" asked Neon, in between bites. 

"Excellent cooking as always," said Joker, helping himself to take-out sashimi. 

"Talked to Fuuko this morning," said Raiha casually. 

"Ooh," said Neon, with some concern. "Poor girl. Which approach did you use?" 

"I figured it would be better if I did the cold routine," said Raiha. "It wasn't much, but I think it may have been kind of harsh." 

"It's for the best," said Joker sensibly. "It's easier to leave someone hating your guts, than it is to have them pining for you forever. I can't tell you the number of girls I have out there pining for me—" 

There was a deadly swishing noise as Raiha drew his katana from its sheath and pointed it across the table. The very tip of it rested gently against Joker's throat. He eyed it dubiously. 

"If you want me to pass the rice, Raiha, you can ask me nicely…" 

"I'm telling you, Joker, if this is just some game of yours, I'll kill you." 

There was no playfulness in Raiha's lethal eyes.

"Jokes are all about the fine art of timing," said Joker loftily. "You think it's funny to drag a joke out for this long? Hardly." 

"You know what I want to know. Start talking," said Raiha. The blade never wavered. 

His teammate heaved an exhausted sigh, as though having to explain himself was an unbearable burden. "All right," he said. "Just put that thing away before you hurt someone. But it's going to be a long story. You ready?" 

"Try me," said Raiha. 

Neon had remained silent through the exchange, but she leaned forward to catch every word. 

"All right. I'll start at the beginning," said Joker. "Me and Koganei, right? We're together. Unfinished business, you know how that goes? Anyhow, we get interrupted by this one little girl, who's really an old woman, who really doesn't know how old she is because she keeps switching ages. Kirito, was it? Right. So we take care of that. Everything's fine and dandy, and then Kadotsu shows up on the scene." 

"Right," agreed Neon. "That's what I heard." 

"So, anyhow, Kadotsu shows up. You have to remember that Kurei already toasted him, right? He survived, which is amazing in and of itself. But if you think for one moment that *I* could be toasted by one of Mori's half-baked goons, you've got to be kidding. I'm way too cool to go like that." 

"So I hear," said Raiha dryly. He no longer held his friend at swordpoint, but each at the table knew that the danger had in no way passed. 

"But, anyhow, this Kadotsu was pretty amazingly tenacious. Just wouldn't die. I tossed a few ideas around, tried a little of this, a little of that… Didn't work." 

"So you made a black hole," said Neon. 

"Wrong!" said Joker. "That's what I said I did, but, come on. Think back to science class. Any object can become a black hole, if it becomes small enough and dense enough. Like, for instance, if we squeezed this whole honkin' planet into a teeny-tiny ball, like, say, the size of a marble---- it would become a black hole. The more massive an object is, the stronger its gravity becomes. But that's the whole point. A black hole is an object… usually, say, a star that's collapsed in upon itself. But you can't have a black hole made out of thin air. Remember that everything's mostly empty space, anyways, if you think about it on the molecular level. A black hole is something enormous that's condensed into something really tiny. That's where the pull of the gravity comes from. You need both gravity and matter to create a black hole." 

"I… see…" said Neon slowly. "So, tell me. If you didn't create a black hole, what did you create?" 

"I used this little baby," said Joker, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, round object. 

Neon and Raiha gaped. 

"That's a madougu!" she whispered, picking it up to examine it. "But--- I thought--- they all self-destructed." 

"Almost all," smirked Joker. "That's not just any madogu. That's the Jigan Kaigyoku." 

"The Jigan Kaigyoku?" repeated Raiha, leaning over to peer at it as well. "Wasn't that what Magensha—" 

"Bingo!" said Joker. "The pieces are falling into place, ne?" 

"Was it not destroyed when Magensha was?" asked Neon, still hardly daring to believe that an intact madougu still existed in the world. 

"Do you really think Kurei would have allowed something so valuable to be destroyed in the process of killing such a worm?" The scorn dripped from Joker's voice. "Magensha's life was hardly something to worry over. He was just one of Mori's pawns. Now, this madougu, on the other hand, is something very precious. J-Kipa retrieved it when he executed the old schemer. Sure, it was a bit chipped from Magensha's bumbling around, but not totally ruined." 

"And you got it from J-Kipa?" The puzzle began to take shape. 

"Bingo again, Raiha!" he beamed. "J-Kipa was just another wannabe, but nothing like the real thing. He was disposable. Too caught up in his own self-importance to realize he was just being used. Thought he was invincible, and it led to a sticky end. He had the Jigan Kaigyoku on him, and I picked it up when I was checking him over after our little run-in with him--- Saicho, Koganei, and I, I mean." 

"Yes, I remember hearing that story," said Neon. 

"So, anyhow, I've kept the Jigan Kaigyoku on me for safekeeping. I kept it for backup, in case Mori Tsukino needed to beat a hasty retreat to an impenetrable hiding place, back when the Nincompoops and I were running guard duty." 

"Makes sense," said Raiha. "I was about to ask how you managed to survive pilfering of that degree." 

"It's not pilfering," said Joker, looking as honorable as he could manage. "It's merely finding a convenient place as to how my interests and Kurei's interests intersect." 

"So, go on," prodded Neon. "I'm seeing where this is going… but I want to hear it from you." 

"Right. So, anyhow. Back to the fight. I'm working Kadotsu over, and he's not giving in. So I do a final gravity blast, and open up a portal with the Jigan Kaigyoku. Both of us get sucked in there. I left my Taishaku Kaiten behind; that was an accident. But I needed my hands free, you know? Not to mention, it was in need of some major cleaning. I don't usually work so messily. Still, now I wish I hadn't, because it would be really useful to have around the house. Like getting cobwebs from those hard-to-reach places in the ceiling corners." 

"You're so tall, I don't think you have anything to worry about ceiling corners," said Neon mildly. "Go on with the real story." 

"Oh. Right. So, once I get Kadotsu into my dimension, it's no problem to finish him off. He's half-fried from meeting Kurei, tired out from our fight, and scared stiff at being transported into a totally different Dimension. I take care of him, no more worries from that direction. I thought about coming back, but I figured what the heck. I'd never really explored the Dimension too thoroughly; I was always busy with one thing or another. No time for leisurely exploration. Maybe the gaping stomach wound had something to do with it. So, I took things easy for a bit. Guessed I was going to live after a while. And since I figured I'd missed all the fun by then, I decided what the heck. I wandered around. Saw the sights. Found Magensha's old lookout point. Thought about erecting a historical landmark sign. And—" his voice dropped dramatically "—I found something even more interesting." 

"Which was?" asked Neon and Raiha in nearly the same breath. 

Even Joker was leaning forward now; their three heads were nearly touching. 

"The Dimension was more than just an empty void that you get lost in until you die. It has a ton of these gates. I don't think Magensha ever found them. I think he was always too busy playing it safe from his cauldron to properly explore the Dimension. It's why he wasn't Jyushinshuu--- he wasn't able to harness a fraction of his madougu's potential."

"And these—gates?" 

Joker kicked back in his chair, obviously enjoying being the center of attention. 

"They lead into other places. Other worlds. Other realities." 

"Now you're kidding," said Raiha flatly. He reached once more for his katana. 

Joker shook his head hastily. "No, no! I'm serious! I even went poking around. I had a blast. Anyhow, you wouldn't believe it, but I was in this one place, and who do you think I run into? It's Kurei! With little Koganei tagging along! Well, not _little_ Koganei anymore, if you understand, because he's grown considerably, but you know what I mean." 

"Make it good, Joker," said Raiha. 

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you. It sounds stupid when you have to spell it out. You had to be there," said Joker, pouting. "Anyhow, that was what I asked him—funny meeting you here. Come here often? and all that. So, after he griped about his revenge for an hour, he told me that he had used the Jigan Kaigyoku himself to visit the Dimension as well." 

"He did what?" asked Neon, puzzled. 

"He used the Jigan Kaigyoku, in his time period. He was the one who had tracked it down, so he knew where to find it. You think he wants to be stuck in the feudal past for the rest of his life? He'd been there already. Wasn't too hot the first time around. Not worth sticking around for once his mission was accomplished, anyways. So he came to the Dimension as the easiest way out, and found some stuff to occupy his time. I happened to cross paths with him while he was doing interesting stuff, and we chitchatted, and conversation turned to you guys." 

"But there's two problems with that," said Raiha slowly. "The first problem is, if he had the Jigan Kaigyoku, how did you have one as well? Because there's just one madougu, but for the two of them to coexist in the same space at the same time—" 

"That's what they call a paradox, my friend," said Joker. "That's why you don't mess with the timeline. I tried to point that out, but you know how focused he can be on one thing, that he ignores everything else." 

Raiha was clearly unconvinced. "And the second thing… the time thing. If Kurei entered the Dimension four hundred years ago, how did you run across him in—another world—" he mumbled those words as though it was too ridiculous to say clearly "—instead of, say, him preceding you by four hundred years in the same world you both visited?" 

"Time's not a constant," said Joker simply. "Time's a dimension of reality all its own. Look at the Time Manipulation technique. Think of time like a rubber band. Time can be long and skinny. Or time can be short and fat. If you have two lengths of rubber band that each equal five minutes, and you take one rubber band and stretch it as far as it will go… it's still five minutes, yet it's three time as long as the other five minutes. Put that on an infinite scale for Time, and you have a full-scale model. The thing is, Time's kind of like a river. It wants to go in one direction. If you try to mess with it, it'll just flow right over you. But if you go about it the right way, you can anchor yourself to a point in the river, or paddle upstream, or even change its course completely. Time's as versatile as water, yet people rarely have the tools to be able to manipulate it properly." 

Raiha eyed him sideways. "So… do either of you have the tools to manipulate it properly?" 

"Let's just say that a hidden dimension is an excellent place for a secure storage facility," smirked Joker. He laid claim to the last piece of sashimi and popped it into his mouth. 

"So there's madougu?" 

"Lots of madougu!" said Joker, his voice growing more and more excited at the memory. "See, this madougu didn't get destroyed, because I was in a totally different dimension when the other self-destructed. The other madougu in the other Dimension… the other madougu in the other worlds… those were also spared." 

The three exchanged a glance. The excitement and enthusiasm were rapidly building. 

"There's so much cool stuff out there, the possibilities are endless," said Joker. "You won't believe how many times since I've been back that I've been on the verge of just running back there and staying. It's such a cool place. But it got kind of lonely the first time around, so I figured I'd come and drag you guys back for a little fun and excitement. And running into Kurei—well, he has a way of making life interesting." 

"So what have we been waiting around here for all this time?" asked Neon, rolling the Jigan Kaigyoku back across the table. Joker caught it and slipped it back into his pocket. 

"I don't want to run the risk of missing Kurei," he said apologetically. "I can't tell where he is, or what he's doing when he's not in the Dimension itself. When he does leave the world he's in, and comes back to the Dimension, though, I'll know. The master of the Jigan Kaigyoku knows when they have company. They may not know exactly where… but the moment someone enters the Dimension, the master knows. Seeing that Kurei and I both have the same madougu, we'll both know when the time has come. That's a good thing, since the Dimension is rather large, and it's not like you can leave a sticky-note on the door." 

Neon nodded vigorously. "I understand," she said, but deep down, they were all sharing the same thought. 

It was nice to wait for Kurei, and all, but if he took too long to return to the meeting place, they may well have an adventure or two without him. 

They would meet up eventually. 


	5. Phoenix From the Ashes Ch 5

**Phoneix From the Ashes**

**Chapter 5**

**by Bottou-chan**

recca.lamssu.net

* * *

Fuuko sat on the steps on the front porch, clutching a large stuffed animal that Ganko had left lying around outside. Her eyes were tearstained. Domon sat next to her, just being there to support her and to listen. 

She had told him all about the morning's happenings. Yanagi would be sympathetic, and Recca would be furious, but Domon was better able to understand. Initially, it had been awkward talking to him about his rival… but he didn't seem to mind at all. 

_She got dumped for a guy!_ he thought exultantly. _Raiha's history!_

Aloud, Domon said in his kindest voice, "You know that guy could never make you happy. You're better off without him." He tried very hard to keep his voice non-judgmental. "There's just too much that's fishy with him." 

Fuuko gave a quavery laugh, punctuated by a hiccup. "Yeah. He's impossible to figure out… I'd always be wondering. Doubting. Unsure about him, in the back of my mind. His most important person is Kurei. It's always been Kurei. There's no room for me." 

"Too bad he can't go and marry Kurei," grinned Domon. 

Fuuko giggled again. "It's not like that at all," she said, watching the moths fluttering around the glowing porch light. "He's so… loyal… and that loyalty… it totally consumes him. There's no room for other people in his heart. I mean, there is… but he's so dedicated to serving Kurei, that he'd give up anything for Kurei's sake." 

"What a fanatic. You don't need to go moping about over someone like that. You know what he's already done to you. Don't let him have another chance to hurt you more." 

"Yeah… But that's just it," said Fuuko. "He's got such dedication… if I was on his side, like, if I was working for the same goal he was… he would be there for me. We'd be unstoppable." 

Domon eyed her. "So, what you're suggesting is that you run away from home, join the remnants of an assassin band, and run around stealing and murdering with a guy who tried to kill you once, under the direction of another guy who tried to kill you more than once?" 

Fuuko giggled, and this time it was genuine. "Yeah, it does sound pretty stupid, doesn't it?" 

"He's way off in another world," said Domon. "You don't need anything to do with it. You've seen part of it. It's the world that people like Mikoto and Mokuren thrive in. You really want to give up what you have, in favor of running with the likes of them?" 

She nodded. "I see what you mean." 

Domon beamed. At least verbally, she was beginning to understand the situation. Anything with Raiha had too much baggage and uncertainty to be involved with. She seemed to be feeling better. She was saying all the right words; maybe in a few days… a few weeks… a few months… her heart would see the reason her brain was beginning to accept. 

"Anyhow, Fuuko," he said, his voice becoming more playful, "It was pretty sneaky of you to try and sneak past our date ban." 

Fuuko blushed crimson. 

"That… wasn't a date…" she said feebly. _Pretty lousy date if it was,_ she added to herself. 

"Skipping school for a tryst," he grinned. "A romantic tea-shop encounter, and who knows what afterwards!" 

Fuuko's was now red to the tips of her ears. "You make it sound so bad! He just wanted to talk!" _Not that I wasn't hoping for who-knows-what,_ she admitted to herself. 

"Heheh. I'm just teasing you. But… I've kept the date ban." 

"You have?" Fuuko looked at her feet. Had anything at the shugaku-ryoko been in violation? _No… we just talked both times, and it was just for a few minutes,_ she reassured herself. _Just talk. Nothing more._ She touched her face where Raiha had touched it moments before they had been interrupted. _There wouldn't have been anything else. Just talk._

"Yeah," said Domon. He was looking at his shoes as well. "Because… well… you asked for it. And you're my important person. It's just a year. Everyone needs to figure out what they feel. People change and stuff." 

"The year's almost up," said Fuuko. 

He nodded. "Yeah. I've got it marked on my calendar at home." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah." 

She glanced around, opened her mouth as though to ask a question, and then snapped it shut. They sat in silence for a few moments, and then she tried again. 

"So… how do you feel?" 

He gave her a half-smile. "My toes hurt. I think I need a bigger pair of shoes." 

Fuuko laughed and punched him affectionately in the shoulder. "You know what I mean!" she said, grateful for his joke. It was an awkward moment. 

The half-smile looked almost shy now. "You've always been my most important person," he said quietly. 

"You've… always been good to me," said Fuuko slowly. 

He looked at her silently, waiting for more. 

She gathered her thoughts. "We've… been through so much together. You're great to have to fight with. I know you've always got my back, you know? We can team up, and I know we're both looking out for each other… my speed, your strength, my brains, your strength, my skill, your strength…" She giggled. "It's good to have a strong friend." 

"You're so kind," he said, with abrupt sarcasm. "Yeah. We've been through a lot. You're still my important person, and I can say so. But I can't make you feel something you don't feel… or maybe something you don't want to feel. I'll never be like Raiha. I'll never look like Raiha. I'm just me. If after all this time, and with everything that's behind us, all you can acknowledge about me is my strength… well… maybe both of us need to start looking elsewhere." 

He stood up. 

Fuuko reached out a hand in alarm. "Domon! Don't go… I didn't mean it like that. I was just trying to be silly, but it ended up stupid." 

He didn't return to his seat on the step. Instead, he watched her, his arms crossed expectantly. 

"It's so… difficult for me," said Fuuko, trying to verbalize her feelings. "You're both very precious to me. You and Raiha are both good fighters, each in your own way. You and Raiha are both dedicated to me, each in your own way. You and Raiha have both saved my life. You and Raiha have so much in common…" 

"Except he's tried to kill you, he's hurt your feelings how many times, and he turned you down flat this morning because he has someone more important that he has to go run after. But he's cute, so it's all good," said Domon bluntly. "Poor you. What a dilemma." 

"It's not that he's cute—yeah, I think he's cute—but it's just the chemistry! The chemistry, it's so strong… and he's so mysterious…" 

Domon shrugged. "Fine. Keep your chemistry and your mystery. If that's what you want, there's no use in me waiting around. You were starting to make sense there, for a minute, and I thought your mind was kicking in. You say you're the smart one out of the two of us. If you haven't figured it out by now, you still won't have decided by the time the year's up. I already know your answer." He turned and began walking down the sidewalk. He paused at the gate. "And you know what?" he asked, raising his voice so that it carried properly. "The date ban was a stupid idea anyways. But I did it because I cared for you." 

In a few moments, he was gone from sight. 

Fuuko was left sitting on the porch, alone. _Great. Now I've alienated both of them,_ she thought miserably. _Raiha doesn't want me, and now I've gone and hurt one of my best friends._

Her vision was blurred by fresh tears as she sat on the porch, hugging her knees under her chin. This whole love business was way overrated. She wanted to be strong and independent, just like she used to be. Why was it that love could turn you into a weak, sniveling, dependent mess? 

It was probably due to her preoccupation that she didn't sense the shadowy presence beside the porch, or notice it as it slipped away into the darkness.


	6. Phoenix From the Ashes Ch 6

**Phoneix From the Ashes**

**Chapter 6**

**by Bottou-chan**

recca.lamssu.net

* * *

"Oi. Your ninja stealth is seriously lacking something tonight. Something like, I don't know. Stealth, maybe." 

The bedside lamp on the table flicked on abruptly. Raiha didn't bother to move from the spot where he stood. He knew he hadn't made a sound returning. Obviously, Joker had been waiting for his return. 

"Didn't think you'd mind," said Raiha, handing over the tiny madougu, but not looking directly at his friend. 

Joker held it up to the light to reassure himself it hadn't suffered any additional wear and tear, before pocketing it. 

"Didn't think you were so weak," answered Joker, pulling the bill of his cap slightly lower over his eyes. 

"Didn't think I was either." He paused. "At least nothing happened." 

A flash of a fanged grin. "She turned you down, huh?" 

Raiha gave a cheerless smile. "I didn't get so far as to make a fool of myself, thank goodness. She had company… and I managed to get some sense talked into myself while I was waiting." 

"Better than Neon whacking some sense into you when she found out." 

"Mm. I'd rather have Neon tell me what's what, rather than disappoint Kurei." 

"Figured as much." 

Raiha sighed. "When it all comes down to it, I think I'm just as weak as my ancestors. I need to keep working harder." 

"Pffft. Ancestors this, ancestors that. You need to stop hiding behind your ancestors and think for yourself for once." 

Raiha didn't bother to dignify that with a reply. Joker had spent his life doing exactly as he pleased; he didn't have the right to be so flip over his standards. The purple-haired ninja ignored him and moved towards the door, but a long arm reached out and blocked the exit. His eyebrows flickered in annoyance. 

"Are you trying to be a pain?" Raiha asked testily. His nerves were frayed; his emotions were raw; and he had no patience to spare for playground-bully antics. 

Joker slouched in the doorway, leaning against the frame. "You need to stop hiding _and_ stop trying to run away." His voice was careless, but challenging. 

There was no playfulness in Raiha's narrowed eyes. He reached out and clamped a hand on Joker's wrist, with just enough pressure to be warning, but not quite enough to trigger a fight. "And who are we calling a coward?" he asked, his voice soft. 

"The only debt that exists is in your head," said Joker scornfully. "I'm sure you've paid it back and more, compensating for the cowardice of your ancestors. It's about time you stopped saying, 'I'm doing this to make up for my ancestors', or, 'I'm just as bad as my ancestors because I did that', and started doing things because they were what _you_ want. Because if you're not doing something because you want to do it--- because you feel obligated--- you're eventually going to waver when the two conflict. And we don't need unreliable people." 

Raiha's grip didn't lighten, but the immediate danger seemed to have passed from his eyes. 

"Kurei left. He obviously didn't intend for us to meet up again, or he would have made better arrangements. Your blood-obligation to him is over. You get the chance to start over. Do you want to stick with Kurei because it's what _you_ want to do? Or do you want to stick around here and see what happens in a normal life?" 

Raiha released his grasp on Joker's wrist and folded his arms. "I follow Kurei, wherever he needs me." 

"Then pull yourself together and act like it. We don't have a tea party planned, y'know. Anyone who's halfhearted about being there is just going to be in the way." 

Another eyebrow twitch. _He wouldn't dare leave me behind,_ he thought. "It was a moment of weakness. It won't happen again." It felt wretched being submissive to anyone but Kurei, but he knew that his offense would have been punishable by death before the destruction of the Uruha. Now, there was no Uruha… there was nothing to bind the remnants together but their common will. If anyone else had caught him in his moment of weakness, he wondered if they would have let it go with mere words. 

Joker eyed him from beneath the shadows of his cap. "Don't get confused about who your friends are, and who your enemies are," he said, his voice uncharacteristically gruff. "You'll get hurt. And—" he turned to allow both of them to leave the room "—I don't want to see that happen." 

Neon was coming up the stairs as they emerged onto the landing. 

"I was wondering where you two had gone off to! It was abnormally peaceful downstairs!" she said cheerfully. 

"I was showing Raiha my scar. Wanna see?" asked Joker, his voice as playful as though nothing had ever happened. He pulled his shirt up so she could see his memento from his fight with Kadotsu. 

Neon turned away in revulsion. "That's disgusting." 

Joker grinned mischievously. "It wasn't that great-looking before it healed up, y'know." He paused, as though concentrating on a very distant sound, and then appeared to perk up. "What timing! Seems like the Dimension has a visitor… two of 'em. Better get on the phone and tell Miki and Aki to come along. And the Nincompoops should be expecting a ring as well." 

"You sure you really want those guys?" asked Raiha, arching an eyebrow. 

"Well, everyone needs some good minions," said Joker cheerily. "They're not half-bad for minor stuff. It's not like we need them to think. We need them to do what they're told." 

"True, true," admitted Raiha. "Still, it sounds like we have a parade lined up." _Too bad there's one person missing from the parade,_ he thought. _If only I'd known sooner… if only I'd had more time to myself…I would have liked to have had one last adventure with her. Just us._

But it was silly. She needed to be her own person first, and she couldn't have that chance if he was always running into her at unexpected moments, the voice of reason reminded him calmly. 

True… but it's sad that I need to go to another Dimension to keep out of her life for a while. 

Joker glanced at Raiha, as though he greatly suspected what was going on in his friend's mind. He reached into his pocket to pull out the Jigan Kaigyoku. "Come on. I'll give you guys a free ticket to a happy reunion. Everyone's supposed to meet at the Sphere… you'll know it when you see it. You shouldn't have any problems, once you get used to the place; I'm sure it was a lot better concealed before Magensha let the place get messed up. I'm sure they left breadcrumbs or something to help you find them. Anyhow, I don't want any tears of joy—from either of you—in front of the Nincompoops, you know. Get the mushy happy stuff taken care of before we catch up, okay?" 

* * * 

When Fuuko bounced into school the next day, it was she who was carrying the newspaper. 

"Hey, you guys! There's an article in here!" she said, flattening the newspaper so that Recca, Yanagi, and Domon could see it. 

"Yes, there usually are articles—" said Yanagi faintly. 

"You know what I mean. Anyhow, remember that amusement park we went to ages ago? They've got a new roller coaster. I was wondering if you guys want to go?" 

Yanagi smiled. "I'm not usually good with roller coasters, but I'll try it once!" 

"It would be a great date!" agreed Recca. 

"A great double-date," corrected Fuuko. The confidence she had worked so hard to gather was giving way to sudden shyness, but at least she had come out and said the words. 

Domon gave her a long, careful look. 

"Yeah," he said. "A great double-date."

* * *

**The End**

* * *

Thanks for the comments. ^_^ I know there's always tons of room for improvement, but it's great to have people who will take the time to critique it and offer their input. ^_^ The things that stand out to me aren't always what stands out to others... and what others see, sometimes I totally overlook. It's the trouble with being too close to a story. ^_^;; But let's see...

Tenshi-

1. I'm not exactly enthused to see *yet another* Fuuko romance, but I know that you'll bring something new to the table. I'm sorry, that sounded pretty negative.

--- Hopefully, it brought something new in the end. ^_~ I love Fuuko/Raiha to pieces, but I love them because it's such a doomed relationship. Raiha just has too much of a dark past, and Fuuko, despite her roughness, is just too purehearted in the end. I don't particularly mind Domon/Fuuko, though he rarely gets much respect, but I also think that Domon/Fuuko probably won't work out, but for different reasons. Domon isn't Fuuko's intellectual match, though he is very dedicated to her. However, with a few years of working at the shop, perhaps he'll mature to a point where he can be appreciated as himself. Likewise, it's impossible to have an equal relationship when one person has all the power, and the other has all the vulnerability. Domon has to be able to be clearheaded enough about his love to Fuuko to let her know he won't let her take advantage of his feelings forever. She doesn't have to love him if she doesn't want to, but she at least has to respect him, or else their friendship is meaningless. I think that it was high time Domon stood up for himself. He may be an oni in a fight, but he's pretty helpless when it comes to matters of the heart. ^_~

  
2. Wait...how exactly would Raiha know about the supposed 'black hole' incident with Joker anyway? From what I inferred from that chapter, the only Uruha to have instinctively felt that Joker disappeared was Kurei. Should I assume that Raiha and Neon found out from Kirito, who was the only person who witnessed it?

--- Yeah, I was thinking of Kirito. It's rather the sort of thing that would get out. ^_~ Another way would be with the surveillance equipment in SODOM... 

  
3. Personally, I thought that the transition from Joker's arrival to the reference to the prequel onsen story to 'several months later' was a bit weird. I guess I'm too used to obvious scene changes...

--- Yeah, it was awkward, I agree. ^_^ I have difficulty jumping from flashback/recap to Current Plot Mode. ^_^ *smooth smooth smooth*

  
Tenken-

And I agree it was a stupid way to kick Joker out of the show. In my opinion, he should have stayed!

---Has anyone been following Anzai's newest work, MAR? It's been suggested that Nanashi is, in fact, Joker, minus his memories. There's a lot of clues being scattered around to tempt us... hazy half-forgotten memories of Raiha triggered by lightning-use, similar speech patterns (have any of you tried to transliterate Joker's speech? It's agony, I tell you!), similarities in wardrobe and accessories... or maybe it's just a bunch of red herrings used to toy with our emotions, and Anzai and his team just like the general character design. ^_~ You can compare the two characters at: 

Xabie:

What sort of irked me was how Raiha and Neon so easily accepted the fact that he did not die. I mean they are the uruha people, wouldn't they be more cautious?

---Technically very true, especially since in canon, it was discovered (long after ficwriters had run off and done their own things to the characters), the Jyushinshuu rarely came together at all. For example, Neon and Raiha were totally unaware of Joker's existence until his fight with Koganei. I tried to make things a little bit skeptical, but should have put more work into it. ^_^ But it would have been a fine line between enough skepticism and too much skepticism... especially since the disbandment of the Uruha, the only reason Neon and Raiha are still together is because they choose to stick around. They no longer have Kurei to unite them. Having Joker magically appear from the dead is kind of like having a cat find its way home, that you'd given up on never seeing again. ^_^

Tanuki-chan:

I don't understand why Raiha would break up with Fuuko if all they were going to do was drag Koganei and Kurei back to the present.

--- As long as Kurei is in Raiha's life, I don't think he has room for anyone else, just like as long as Mikagami had revenge in his heart, he didn't really have any room for love, either. It would have been very anticlimactic to have brought Kurei and Koganei back to the present, though it could have easily been done... but it would have felt like very much of a let-down. So, hopefully--- the idea of other worlds, and other worlds with madougu, all accessible only through the Dimension... I rather like that idea, because it gives them a new goal to work towards, a new adventure to embark upon. ^_^ Not necessarily conquering the new world, but carving out a respectable piece for themselves, especially since Japan _is_ too tame for them now. Rather like Nanashi and his Thieves' Guild in MAR... ^_~ It's just a comfy thought, giving the idea that it hasn't ended, but the scenery's just changed.

And since it's probably going to come up...

--- Yeah, there was a bit of random "personality moments" scattered around, h'm? -_- (Fuuko's confusion, Domon's ultimatum, Raiha's wavering, Joker's dressing-down...) Hopefully it can all be taken in stride more as different facets of a three-dimensional character's personality, as opposed to OOC'ness in a flat, 2-D personality. I hope it didn't jar too badly. ^_^;;

--- Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read and review, and for your kind words of critique and support!


End file.
